Internal-combustion engine



Feb. 21, 1928.

L. M. WOOLSON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Nov. 19, 1923 Patented Feb. 21, '1928.

LIONEL E. WOOLSON, OF DETEOIT, MICKIGAN;

COMPANY, OI DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A

ASSIGNB TO PACKABD MOTOB CAR CORPORATION OF MICEIGAN.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

= Application filed November 19, 1923. i Serial No. 675,503.

This invention relatesto internal combuston engines and particularly to starting mechanism therefor. I i

Heretofore it has been proposed to start automobile en ines by injecting acetylene gas into the cylinders and igniting the charge of gas therein. This method of starting required either a distributor timed with the engine for distributing the gas to the various cylinders, or a multiple pump or pump connections for injecting gas into all of the. cylinders. It had the disadvantage of complication and of making impracticable to run the engine for any length of time on the acet lenegas itself.

In the recent development of internal combustion engines for aviation use, and particularly large bore engines for "dirigible use, starting diflieulties have been encountered as they were in the early days of the automobile industry. The ordinary electric starter of the automobile engine isnowhere near large enough to turn over these big aviation engines and if they are increased 2 in size and provided with batteries suflicient to turn over these large engines their weight is such as to make them prohibitive for aviation use. For instance, for crankn a six-cylinder aviation engine of 6% inc 80 bore and 7 inch stroke, the starting motor would weigh fifty pounds or more and the battery around seventy-five pounds. When it is considered that six or more of these engines are used on a dirigible it will be seen that to equip the engines with starting mechanisni of that type would be equivalent to carr ing another half dozen passengers as dea weight.

In warmer Weather and with high grade gasoline these large aviation motors may be started by hand cranking and numerous forms of reduction gearing have been provided for hand cranking. In the cold weather, however, hand cranking on gasoline is entirely unsuccessful and the old means of charging the cylinders with acetylene gas have been resorted to. These have been found more or less impracticable due to complication and to inability to run long enough on the acetylene gas-to insure starting on gasoline. Difliculties have been encountered also due to the fall in ressure as the acetylene gas is withdrawn rom its storage tank. r

One ofthe objects of the present inven- 'tion is to provide a novel and efiicient means for feedng acetylene or a similar gas to I an internalcombustion engine at a low pressure.

\ Another object of the invention is to provide a measuring device for charging an internal combuston engine with explosive gas. V' Another object of the invention is to provide an internal combustion engine with a practical means for feeding to it under a low pressure a charge of explosive gas drawn from a tank under high pressure.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connecton with the drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which:

F g. 1 is a plan View, somewliat diagrammatc, of an internal combustion engine and gas feeding means embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 s a vertical section through the measuring device;

ig. 3 is a section substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a section substantiallyon the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents an internal combustion engine having intake conduits 11 which are 'ed with mixture from a'conduit 12 to which the engine carburetor 13 is connected. The engine is provided with sparking mechanism comprising a distributor 14, wring 15, and s ark plugs 16, one for each of the six cylin ers of the engine shown. The engine is of the usual internal combustion engine type having inlet and exhaust valves operated by a cam or other shaft driven by two-to-one gearing shown at the front end of the engine at 17. Instead of feeding an explosive charge of gas to 'the engine cylinders, the present inventon contemplates feeding explosive as at low pressure into the intake conduits 11 where it will be drawn into the cylinders through the engine intake ports. The source 'of gas supply is indicated at 18 being in the form of a tank adapted to hold acetylene or other gas at a pressure of two thousand pounds or more. This tank is connected to the intake conduit 11 by pipes 19 and 20 and by small inlet connections 21.

Between the ipes 19 and 20 is a measuring device 22 s own in elevation in Fig. l and in section in Fig. 2. Referring to this device it will be seen that it is a tubular receptacle having an inlet port or passage 23 and an outlet port or passage 24, both of which are controlled by a single hand operated valve 25. A pressure gauge 26 s connected to the outlet passage 24 so that the pressure within the receptacle may always be obse'rved.

The valve 25 has a central bore 27 plugged at 28 and connecting with this bore 27 are right angle passa'ges 29 and 30 arranged 1n` difl'erent zones of the valve. These passages 29 and 30 are arranged to connect at difl'erent times with the passages 23 and 24 respectively and they also respectively connect with passages 31 and 32 formed at the base of the receptacle adjacent the valve 25. The passages 31 and 32 connect with pipes 19 and 20 respectively.

The valve 25 is provided with a handle 33 for turning it and a pointer 34: for indicating its position. The valve is in normal or off position in the various figures of the drawing. The handle may be moved to the left, in Fig. 1, to one of the dotted line positions shown and the receptacle '22 will then be connected directly with the tank 18 through' the pipe 19, this being the charge position of the valve, or it may be turned to the right, in Fig. 1, to the other dotted lineposition, and the receptacle 22 will then be connected with the intake conduit 11 of the engine, through the pipe 20.

The inlet passage 23 ofthe receptacle 22 is also automatically controlled, a diaphragm operated valve being provided for the purpose. This valve is indicated at 35 and a diaphragm 36 is shown in the upper part of the receptacle 22 and connected to the upper end of the stem of the valve 35. A spring 37 presses the diaphragm yieldingly downward and a bolt 38 adjusts the tension of the sprin 37. A lock-nut 39 secures the bolt 38 in a justed position.

Thus it will be seen that as the pressure in the receptacle rises to a point where the tension of the spring 37 is overcome, the diaphragm 36 draws the valve 35 upwardly and closes it on its seat. This is preferably at about five pounds ressure so that if the pressure gauge 26 indicates a pressure higher than five pounds it will be known that the valve 35 is leaking or that the device is otherwise out of order. The Construction, however, is so simple that there is little likelihood of anything going wrong with it.

In the operation of the device, the tank 18 being charged with acetylene or a similar gas under high pressure, the valve 25 is turned to the passage 29 in the valve connects the pipe 19 with the inlet passage 23' of the receptacle 22. Since the pressure in the receptacle 22 is at atmosphere the valve 35 is open and gas -from the tank 18 therefore passes into the receptacle until the pressure therein has been charge position whereby theraised sui'ciently to overcome the tension of the spring 37 and the diaphragm 36. This causes the'valve 35 to be closed and the pressure gauge 26 to indicate the five pounds pressure or thereabouts that is in the the receptacle. During this time the passage 30 in the valve 25 is not connected to the outlet passage 24 of the receptacle.

The valve is now turned to the dischar'ge position shown in Fig. 1 whereby the passage 29 is disconn'ected from the inlet 23 thereby cutting oti' the tank 18 from the receptacle 22 and the passage 30 connects the outlet passage 24 of the receptacle to the pipe 20 and thereby to the'inlet conduit of the engine.

At the same time that' the valve 25 is turned to the discharge osition the engine is turned over or cran lied by hand or otherwise and a spark is formed in one of the cylinders that is in position for firing. The charge of acetylene-gas and air is thereby drawn into the cylinders and the explosions follow. The engine will run for some time on the charge of gas in the receptacle 22 and if it does not then pick up its charge of gasoline nixture from the carburetor 13 the receptacle 22 may be again quickly charged by turning the valve 25 first to the left and then to the right and the engine will run for another period on the acetylene gas. This process may be repeated as often as is necessary to get the engine'to pick up on its gasoline carburetor mixture with the assurance that the acetylene gas is being-fed to the intake manifolds at a low pressure only.

While I have herein described in some detail a specific embodiment of my invention which I deem to be new and advantageous and may specifically claim, I do not desire it to be understood 'that my invention is limited to the exact details of the Construction, as it will be apparent that changes may be nade therein without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I 'claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with the intake Conduit thereof, of a source of gas supply under high pressure, a pipe connecting' said conduit and source, a receptacle interposed in said pipe and having an inlet port and an outlet port, a diaphragm in said receptacle, a valve operated thereby to close the inlet ort upon the obtaining of a predetermined said receptacle, a manually operable valve, controlling both said ports, said valve being adapted to close said inlet port ahead of 'said diaphragm actuated valve while said outlet port is open and vice Versa.

2. In aninternal combustion engine, the combinaton with the intake Conduit, of a pressure in i charge measuring device comprising a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet, a. Valve for said inlet, a. dia hragm controlled by the pressure within t e receptacle and connected to close said valve at a predetermined pressure and a valve in series withsaid first-mentioned valve and having means to control said outlet.

3. In an internal combustion e ine in combination with the intake manifol thereof, of a source of high ressure gas supply, a measuring receptacle having an inlet and an outlet, a regulating valve actuated by the pressure of said gas in said receptacle to control said inlet, pipes connecting said inlet to said source of gas and said outlet to said manifold, respectively, and a composite valve interposed in said pipes and adapted to connect said receptacle to either or isolate it from both.

4. In an internal combustion engine, in combination with the intake manifold thereof, of a source of high Eressure gas supply, a measuring receptacle aving an inlet and an outlet, a pressure regulating valve actuated by the pressure of said gas in said receptacle to control said inlet, pipes connecting said inlet to said source of gas and said outlet to said manifold, respectively, and means to indicate at all times the pressure in said receptacle.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LIONEL M. WOOLSON. 

